GLENDALE, Ariz. — With his friend’s name on his hockey stick and in his heart, Sven Baertschi had an inspired night Wednesday for the Vancouver Canucks.

His inspiration is also his sadness.

Baertschi and former Vancouver Giants captain Craig Cunningham became roommates and friends after Cunningham was traded to the Portland Winter Hawks in his final season of junior hockey six years ago. Baertschi, 24, is part of the large hockey community praying and pulling for Cunningham, who collapsed before a minor-league game Saturday in Tucson and remains in grave condition in hospital.

With the nickname “Cunny” written on his stick, Baertschi had a goal and two assists as the Canucks beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 Wednesday. It was the first three-point night of Baertschi’s National Hockey League career.

“I don’t think Sven mentioned anything to anybody,” centre Bo Horvat said of his linemate’s tribute to Cunningham. “I just kind of noticed it when I was walking past the sticks. It was pretty awesome.

“I walked by the sticks before the game and saw it said ‘Cunny’ on his sticks. To have a game like he did tonight, getting three points with (Cunningham’s) name on the stick, I’m sure it means a lot to Sven.”

Baertschi went to the Canucks’ medical room for treatment after the game and was not immediately available to the media.

Canuck Alex Burrows, who keenly felt the loss of former Canuck teammate Luc Bourdon years ago, has a sense of the fear and sorrow Baertschi and many others in the game are enduring.

“I know it really got to Sven what happened there,” Burrows said. “I think he might have dedicated that game to him.”

The line of Baertschi, Horvat and Burrows certainly looked driven, combining for eight points against the Coyotes.

Horvat’s skating and offensive drive have been powering the Canucks in many games lately, and Baertschi’s three-point night could be signs of more production coming for a winger who had only one goal before Wednesday.

“I’ve liked that line for three or four games,” Canuck coach Willie Desjardins said. “I think Burr helps them. He talks to them a lot, helps them prepare for shifts. And the other two guys have lots of talent.”

“It might not have been our best game as a line the last couple of weeks, but tonight we got rewarded,” Burrows said. “We got a few bounces. We’re reading each other well. We’ve got a plan wherever we go on the forecheck and on faceoffs. Those two guys are so good, so crafty and skilled. But their will to improve, their will to win, is as good as I’ve seen since my time here. We’re playing well and just have to keep working and keep going.”

Something similar could be said for the Canucks, who are 4-2-1 since a nine-game losing streak followed their 4-0 start.

Vancouver is still buried deep in the hole it created in late October and early November. This three-game road trip, winnable games against opponents who have struggled, might be the Canucks’ best chance to restart their season.

They play the Dallas Stars on Friday, the Colorado Avalanche Saturday.

The Canucks, who nearly doubled their playing-with-the-lead time this season by staying ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks for 42 minutes on Saturday, were able to further develop that under-used part of their game by scoring early against the Coyotes.

Baertschi tapped in at the far post from Horvat’s centring pass after a turnover by Arizona defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left Coyote goalie Mike Smith and other teammates unprepared.

The Canucks reacquainted themselves with playing-while-tied time by yielding a goal to the Coyotes 58 seconds into the middle period. Insufficiently checked by Troy Stecher, Christian Dvorak deflected in Anthony DeAngelo’s point shot to make it 1-1 after the Canucks won a defensive draw but couldn’t exit their zone.

But the Canucks exploded for three goals in 3 1/2 minutes, exceeding in 211 seconds their total offensive output from a five-game stretch earlier this season.

Markus Granlund bounced a puck to Loui Erikson, who bounced it through Smith’s pads to make it 2-1 at 3:18. Smith continued to leak on the next shift when big Horvat got body position on DeAngelo and directed Burrows’ pass through the goalie at 3:35.

When Burrows discovered another hole in Smith, scoring unscreened from the sideboards at 6:49, Arizona coach Dave Tippett had seen enough and yanked his starter.

Baertschi drew assists on the Horvat and Burrows goals.

All of it was made possible by Canuck goalie Ryan Miller, who made 35 saves.

WHAT THIS MEANS

This winnable road trip, three games in four nights against teams that have struggled, might be the Canucks’ last good chance to restart their season, which is why they needed a win against the Coyotes.

Vancouver is still buried deep in the hole it created by losing nine straight games after a 4-0 start. And while they were heartened by going 3-2-1 against difficult completion since then, it should also give them pause that slightly better results failed to catapult them up the standings.

At 7-10-2 heading into this trip, the Canucks had only the Coyotes behind them in the Western Conference standings. And Vancouver was a league-worst 1-6-1 on the road.

Last season, one of the more respectable aspects of the Canucks was their 16-17-8 record away from home. If they are to recover from those nine straight losses and keep themselves in the playoff fight, they’ll need an extended spell of successful play. And that means winning on the road.

After Wednesday, they have two road wins this season, a 4-2-1 record in their last seven games and a tiny bit of momentum. They will seek more Friday in Dallas and Saturday in Denver.

WHAT WE LEARNED

Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said after the morning skate that his team is surrendering about 15 scoring chances per game, which is down from an average of 21 last season.

The problem so far this year has been the Canucks’ failure to find a winning balance between defending and attacking. When the team’s “structure” was tightest and Vancouver wasn’t yielding many chances, the Canucks couldn’t score. When they began scoring, their defensive play eroded and opponents simply scored more. Desjardins insisted Wednesday the Canucks should be able to simultaneously play well at both ends.

“It appears to have changed with us this year, but it shouldn’t,” he said of the priority on defending. “If we play the right way defensively, we’ll get lots of chances offensively. I think our guys believe that. It just hasn’t happened so far.”

IN A WORD

Streaky – Canucks winger Daniel Sedin’s eight-game points streak came to an end Wednesday, his longest scoring binge since 2010. His streak included the Canucks’ last four road games.

Starter – Sven Baertschi’s goal from a turnover at 3:08 of the first period made it two straight games that the Canucks scored first. They opened scoring only twice in their first 18 games this season.

Debut – As has become NHL custom, Canuck players paused at the boards after rookie call-up Joe LaBate led them on to the ice for the warmup, leaving the 22-year-old to twirl solo for a couple of laps. LaBate wasn’t scheduled to play but made his NHL debut after Jack Skille suffered an upper-body injury in the morning skate.

BY THE NUMBERS

.948 –Ryan Miller’s pre-game career save percentage against Coyotes, which was the Canuck goalie’s best save rate against any team. Miller improved to 10-1 lifetime against the Coyotes.

0-5-0 – Miller’s away record this season before Wednesday, the worst road start of his career. Teammates scored eight goals in those five losses.

-20 – The Canucks’ deficit in goals for and against through 19 games, tied with the Calgary Flames for the worst differential in the NHL. The next worst team was minus-13.

3 – The number of goals Coyotes’ Mike Smith allowed in a span of 3½ minutes early in the second period to get chased from the game. Smith allowed four goals on 16 shots after surrendering only four on 69 shots his previous two games.

NEXT GAME

The Canucks practise Thursday in Arizona before flying to Dallas for Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against the Stars. TV: Sportsnet. Radio: TSN 1040.

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